New Delhi: Things went from bad to worse for Team India after Rohit Sharma and his entire unit was slapped with a heavy sanction from the International Cricket Council after they lost to Australia in the World Test Championship final by 209 runs. The Indian team has been fined the entirety of their WTC final match fee for slow over rate, the ICC said on Monday. The action has been taken after Rohit and Co. were guilty of being five overs short of target.
Australia too have been held up and docked 80 percent of their match fee for being four overs short. As per Article Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, ‘players are fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.’
In another blow, India opener Shubman Gill too has been fined 15 percent of his match fee for showing displeasure. Gill, visibly upset with umpire’s decision to rule him out in India’s second innings, had taken to Twitter and Instagram to show his annoyance after he was given out caught in the slips by Cameron Green. The additional fine means he will be docked a total of 115 percent of match fee.
“India’s Shubman Gill will face a sanction for appearing to criticise the decision to give him out on the fourth day of the Test, breaching article 2.7 which relates to public criticism or inappropriate comment in relation to an incident occurring in an international match. The young opener was fined a further 15 percent of his match fee,” the statement read.
Gill had edged a delivery from Scott Boland to third slip where a diving Green took the catch. But as the Australians celebrated, Gill stood his ground. The decision was referred to the third umpire, Richard Kettleborough, who after examining a few angles declared out, leaving Gill dismayed and his captain-cum-opening partner Rohit Sharma screaming in disbelief. As Gill walked out with a look of disgust on his face, Rohit was even seen asking the umpire about the decision. The call was met with mixed responses – the Indian media blew it up while the Australians seemed content with Kettlborough’s decision.
In the post-match presser Rohit was upset with what transpired. He expressed his disappointment saying that more angles should have been made available before pressing big red button inside the box, citing the IPL’s example – where 10 different camera angles are present. The India captain added that for a event as grand as a WTC final, the technology provided should have been better. On the contrary, Australia skipper Pat Cummins thwarted the theory, and calling Kettleborough the best umpire in the world, backed his decision.
